


Know me

by TheWeepingTurtle



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alderaan, Bail Organa - Freeform, Coruscant, Darth Vader - Freeform, Executor, Gen, Imperial Officers (Star Wars), One-Shot, Princess Leia - Freeform, Star Wars - Freeform, non-canon, senator bail organa - Freeform, vader meets leia early
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21752143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWeepingTurtle/pseuds/TheWeepingTurtle
Summary: In a slightly altered Star Wars timeline, Darth Vader becomes aware of his daughter's existence years before he should.
Kudos: 24





	Know me

He _was holding a fork, but for some reason could not shift it. His fingers twitched, but it wouldn’t budge._

She _sat across from him, her smile bright and filled with love. He wondered, now, why he felt shocked to see it._ His wife.

 _In a whisper of a giggle, the little girl sitting on_ her _left dropped her spoon — on purpose, he came to believe — and immediately fell to the floor in a grand search of the utmost importance._ His daughter.

 _The boy to the girl’s right, however, remained ghostly still._ He _could not see him clearly; The boy was a phantom, a spirit, an apparition. His mind told him not to care._ His son.

He _brought the fork to his lips, but they would not open. Now he began to panic, and_ she _glanced at him in concern._ What? _Finally, they parted, but only as the girl jumped to her seat in triumph. Something was wrong. He dropped the fork, leaving it forgotten, absent, alone. The girl looked to him, her mouth open to reveal teeth as black as night, and a tongue like that of a serpent. Her smile widened, and dark, living sludge crawled down her lips and onto her empty plate like a horde of angry centipedes. “Daddy.”_

It was bright. 

How long had he been here, meditating?

_Fffffffffff..._

His eyes peeled open like that of the skin of a rotten fruit. Again, the world was filtered through that familiar lens of red.

_Shawww…_

His aching knees pressed under him, reminded him where he was. If not for that, then the weight of the _mask_ and the odor of stale air certainly did.

_Fffffffffff..._

The echo of that infernal respirator rebounded from wall to wall. Alone. 

_Shawww…_

His gloved fists clenched, and with a huff of wheezing air, he pressed them to the pristine floor and shoved himself to one foot, then the other, slowly. He stood. The ache of it all reminded him just who he was — his duty, his purpose, his service, his burden to bear.

_Fffffffffff..._

With a flick of his wrist, the security door inlaid in the side of the lonely room slid open with a _shhhvm._ He did not leave just yet, instead opting to stand in place, his eyes focused on something unseen, something far away. 

_Shawww…_

And then the moment was over, and he was striding through the opening, his boots _thump, thumping_ and his midnight cape billowing behind him.

* * *

Lord Vader’s Imperial Star Dreadnought flagship, _Executor,_ hummed quietly from its steady orbit around the great Imperial Center of Coruscant. Lights flickered in the windows as Stormtroopers marched down hallways towards their predestined futures, their boots clopping and their armor clacking in a steady rhythm. Vader himself joined the fray, his heavy presence influencing the speed at which nearby soldiers, workers, and droids alike traveled through the never-ending hallways.

_Clomp, clomp, clomp._

“Lord Vader,” said the jittery captain from Vader’s right as they made their way down the hall. “As you commanded, I’ve prepared your personal guard for departure.”

_Clomp, clomp._

“Good,” came the metallic reply. “And what of my shuttle?”

“The TIE?” The captain suddenly jumped, and realizing his mistake, swallowed and steadied himself. “Y-yes sir. The preparations have already been made for the x1’s takeoff.” When the Dark Lord suddenly halted, he paled. “My Lord...?” The captain watched with bated breath as Vader unexpectedly slammed his glove, palm out, against the wall to steady himself. 

_Coagulated tar dribbled down her lips._ _“Daddy?”_

He _grasped at his face, but the mask hindered him. Where? Where had it come from? He couldn’t breathe. It was impossible._

 _The boy was absent now, as was the woman, and yet all he could see was_ her _— the girl, her teeth black as death and her mouth coated in a hideous slime. He tried not to watch, but something forced his gaze. Perhaps it was the innate knowledge that_ he _had done this._

_“Daddy?”_

_And there it was. It had not been her voice, but the unmistakable hiss of Darth Sidious._

“My Lord?” the captain repeated, growing bolder as he inched closer and settled a hesitant hand on the hunched Lord’s shoulder. He reeled back as Vader suddenly fell forward and whipped around with an intake of metallic, robotic breath.

“You _will not_ touch me, you bumbling buffoon!” came the hiss.

The captain, his face pale and his brown eyes bulging, took a step back, then another, but before he could escape, he suddenly cried out and fell to his knees, his hands grasping at the tender, purpling flesh of his neck. “Mm...ff...”

Vader’s hand tightened into a fist, and then he released it, reveling in the way the captain’s pained yet relieved gasps made him feel. _Powerful_. “I will meet you at the hangar bay for the conclusion of your report, captain.”

“...Ye...s sir…”

* * *

As usual, the expansive hangar bay was bustling with TIE pilots and mechanics alike. Even as Darth Vader set foot within, the steady hum of life and hard work continued without ceasing, as an Imperial’s work was never complete in an Empire of ever-growing size and strength. Many TIE fighters remained in their respective racks, but it was clear that many others were already out through the mighty gates. Patrols, perhaps, to keep the peace, but Vader himself knew that if _Executor_ were to jump into hyperspace at this very moment, their losses would be nothing to mourn, and by tomorrow they’d already be forgotten and replaced — thus is the will of the Emperor. 

Vader’s modified TIE Advanced x1, however, had not yet been prepared for its removal from the rack, and yet a small conclave of Stormtroopers, led by the captain he’d spoken to earlier, stood on standby to greet him. Vader sneered as he approached, the mask making the noise sound more like an angered cough. “Captain,” he said. “What is the meaning of this delay?” He noted with slight satisfaction the purplish tint to the man’s neck.

“My Lord,” the captain greeted with a salute. “I’ve just received news that the scheduled military conference with Senator Bail Organa has been relocated from Coruscant to Alderaan.”

“ _What?_ Under whose jurisdiction?”

“T-the senator’s, sir. He apologizes to have inconvenienced the Empire’s representative, though he explains that his unfortunate and sudden detention could not be delayed.”

Vader turned away from the captain and clenched his fist. “I do not care for his _excuses,_ captain! Inform the commander at once! We make for Alderaan immediately.”

“Yes sir!”

* * *

The Force stirred and rumbled uncomfortably as the _Executor_ jumped to lightspeed, coordinates set to the blue-green planet of Alderaan. This did not escape the notice of Darth Vader, as it didn’t with the Emperor. Something was to happen — something important. For a moment, Vader found himself filled with an unexplainable fear. Why?

* * *

The grand palace of Alderaan was beautiful. Stone column supports, decorated in fantastical glowing lights and etchings, rose up to support a tall, curved ceiling down the magnificent entrance hall. Two floors could be seen from this angle, though it was impossible to tell who or what could be on the second floor from this height. A huge, presumably golden, statue of a woman rose up to meet Darth Vader as he entered, escorted by no one, through the large set of bronze doors. _Clomp, clomp, clomp.. Swish!_ Orbs of golden light glowed from their ceiling perches. Bright, cheerful, glorious! Vader hated it all.

When Vader arrived in the large, oval conference room, however, the atmospheric aroma immediately vanished. Senator Bail Organa, ever on time and dutiful, stood up quickly from his position at the far end of the stretched walnut table. His face? Vader reveled in the flicker of emotions. Confusion, fear, anger! Curiously, Vader noted the little hump of a girl on the seat beside the senator. Her face was hidden from him, but something in his gut warned him. Get away! You are not meant to be here!

Was _this_ the disturbance in the Force? Preposterous!

“Lord Vader! I was not informed that the representative would be you!” The senator’s hand moved to the little girl’s back at the dangerous tilt of Vader’s helmet. “If I had been told, I would have—”

“You would have what? Are you insinuating that you’re displeased with my presence?” 

The senator pursed his lips. “No, sir, not at all! I was only under the impression that Commander—” 

“He will not be joining us. _I_ am the sole representative today, and _I_ shall attend this conference. If you happen to have a problem with this, Senator Organa, then I shall happily transmit your grievances to the Emperor.” Vader sat down at the other end of the table, his cape billowing at the action. 

The senator immediately paled and once more took a seat. “That… That will not be necessary.” He cleared his throat. “I implore your patience, My Lord. Shall I have my daughter escorted away?”

Vader’s mask immediately tipped toward the strangely silent girl, and almost as if she’d sensed him, she sat up and smiled. She couldn’t have been any older than seven, and her eyes, that face… He found himself staring. The Force again flickered in what felt like a sigh, but it was not of relief. Tension. The girl met his stare, and the smile fell. “Yes. She will be … a hindrance.” _And what a fool that senator is! To bring a child to the conference table!_ “Your decision to allow her here raises many questions,” Vader said as he looked away. “One of which is on your competence.” 

“It will not happen again, My Lord,” Bail said.

“Good. See to it that it doesn’t.” As an RA-7 unit was summoned to escort the girl away, Vader returned his attention to Bail. “And what of your ‘sudden detention’?” he said suddenly, ignoring the _click_ of the closing door.

“I’m sorry?” The responding growl of the voice modifier sent a cold shiver down the senator’s spine.

“You’re trying my patience,” Vader replied, irritation laced in his words. “In case you’ve forgotten, this meeting was scheduled to take place on _Coruscant,_ not Alderaan.”

“Ah.” The senator swallowed a lump as the atmosphere in the room grew denser, and his head began to spin like a top. Why was it suddenly so hard to breathe? “There ... was a catastrophic malfunction that resulted in an explosion in the palace docks that left my personal shuttle severely damaged, my Lord,” he said as the pressure in the room dissipated. “I sent for the necessary repairs, but my detention here became unavoidable.”

“I see. It seems it is not just you, but also your men that are incompetent.” 

Wisely, Bail did not respond.

“On to the business at hand,” Vader continued. “Your loyalty to the Empire has come into question. The Empire requires one thousand men to be drafted for the army from your planet, and yet you have not procured a single one. Curious.”

“Lord Vader, I was hoping that we could negotiate on a—”

 _BAM!_ Vader’s clenched fist slammed into the table. Immediately, Bail clamped his jaws shut. “There will be no compromise, Senator! You have been commanded by the Emperor, and yet you deny his bidding? This is treason!”

“I can assure you that I have—”

“Silence!” _Fwoosh!_ The Dark Lord stood to his mighty height and slammed his palms on the table. Neither man said a thing, and the air grew so thick that Bail rubbed at his neck in a terrified fashion, but Vader was not finished. No, this was _far_ from over. “Now do tell me, you infernal, conniving swamp rat. Why have you hidden my offspring from me, and what did you hope to achieve?” 

Bail’s eyes swelled to the size of two round pebbles. “What…?” It was enough of an answer, and it confirmed Vader’s suspicion.

“Do you wish to die, Senator?”

Before Bail could utter so much as a pained response, Vader tightened his hold over the man and lifted him over the table. “You are the worst kind of scum,” he muttered before the man was slammed into the wall. _THUMP!_ Bail crumpled to the ground in an unmoving heap. Vader’s lips twitched upwards.

_Fffffffffff…_

_Shawww…_

_Fffffffffff…_

_Shawww…_

_Fffffffffff..._

_Shawww..._

And then Vader released him, allowing Bail to gasp and gasp and gasp. He needed this, the Dark Lord realized. He’d needed it very much. As his thoughts, rage, and hate boiled from his dark silhouette in waves, Vader contemplated the necessity of Bail’s presence in the Senate. 

“...Lord … Vader, I-I can explain.” 

The Force again flickered, and Vader pivoted to face the door opposite to where he’d entered. It had been cracked open, and two fearful brown eyes stared back at him. He did not move as the girl let loose a squeak and slammed the door shut. What is this? This … feeling?

“Please, she’s happy here.”

He should have lashed out, Vader sermised. He should have killed the man and taken what was rightfully his, but he couldn’t. For some reason, the thought of taking the girl, _his daughter,_ to Darth Sidious made his insides boil and turn in malevolent, chaotic turmoil. The Dark Side of the Force laughed at him, prodded at him, made him feel weak. Why? Why now, after all this time?

She was Padmé’s daughter.

_“Daddy?”_

This had been a mistake. 

Darth Sidious could never know. 

Vader returned his gaze to the man — no, father — crumpled on the floor. “It would be most inconvenient for the Emperor if the House of Organa fell into disarray at the disappearance of both the princess and its senator.” Without another word, Vader turned and left.

* * *

Years later, Senator Bail Organa still wondered as to why he had been spared that day. The most pressing thought on his mind, however, was the miracle of Leia’s firmly-rooted presence in his life, and how Lord Vader, after that dreadful meeting, failed to acknowledge her existence.


End file.
